How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 482 Missed
After discussing the investment, Zhang Wen was about to get out of the car when Chen Mingyuan pulled him back in.

"Mr. Chen, is there anything else?" Zhang Wen asked, puzzled.

Chen Mingyuan released his grip and said with a smile, "The investment has been halted, but the price of the script hasn't been discussed yet. Now that the funding is secured, I was thinking of settling the script fee first."

Upon hearing the word "money," Zhang Wen straightened up in his chair before saying, "300,000 per episode. Based on 36 episodes, the total cost is 10.8 million."

"What?" Chen Mingyuan was completely surprised and stunned.

A script costs over ten million? That's way too expensive!

He had inquired beforehand and found that the other party's other script, "Perfect Days," was only 12 per episode. How come it was doubled for his?
"What, Mr. Chen, are you not satisfied with this price?" Zhang Wen asked slowly.

"I'm not dissatisfied, I just didn't expect it to be this high," Chen Mingyuan said tactfully.

“High? Not really. A good script can sell for 500,000 per episode. Liu Haiyang even offered a 10 million reward for scripts back then, so 300,000 per episode is really not expensive. This is a friendly price because of you. If Liu Haiyang came to me, he wouldn’t even get a touch of the script without 400,000 or 500,000.” Zhang Wen said seriously.

Chen Mingyuan's lips twitched, and his expression became somewhat awkward.

Friendship price?
These days, those who betray you are your friends.

A script costing 50 yuan per episode is written by one of the top screenwriters in the industry. Their works are not only loved by audiences, but also have high viewership ratings and have even won major awards.

But what about Director Zhang?
Although it has won awards, those were for best lyrics, and had nothing to do with TV dramas.

Although there was a previous work, "Perfect Days" has not yet been broadcast. How the market will react, whether the audience will like it, and whether the ratings will be high are all unknown.

In other words, the other party was unable to prove their work.

Under such circumstances, asking for 30 per episode seems like they're treating him like a sucker.
If the audience doesn't like it and the ratings are not ideal, wouldn't that ten million yuan be wasted?

"Director Zhang, do you think we could lower the price a bit? How about we spend more of the funds on production?" Chen Mingyuan asked in a consultative tone.

“President Chen, if you want to beat Liu Haiyang, you should beat him in every way. Back then, he offered a reward of ten million for a script, which had a huge impact in the industry. Now you are spending ten million to buy a script. Doesn’t that make you seem more bold and generous than him? If word gets out, the next time you need a script, you only need to raise your voice and countless people will come to you.” Zhang Wen said emphatically.

Looking at the face in front of him that seemed to care about him, Chen Mingyuan suddenly felt that what the other person said might make some sense.

Seeing that Chen Mingyuan remained silent, Zhang Wen continued, "Mr. Chen, money doesn't really matter to me. You can probably tell that I'm not short of ten million. But Liu Haiyang spent ten million to buy the script, so my script price can't be lower than his. We're fighting for this."

Chen Mingyuan was speechless for a moment.

He knew perfectly well that the other party was well-off, but shouldn't TV dramas be compared based on viewership ratings? Why compare whose production costs are higher?

"Director Zhang..."

Chen Mingyuan opened his mouth, about to speak, but was interrupted by Zhang Wen.

“Mr. Chen, I understand what you mean. You don’t think 30 yuan per episode is expensive, you just lack confidence in the script and are unsure if it’s worth 30 yuan per episode, right?” Zhang Wen asked with a smile, his sharp gaze seemingly able to see right through you.

Chen Mingyuan was surprised that his thoughts had been guessed so clearly. He smiled sheepishly, wanting to explain but not knowing where to begin, so he coughed twice to cover up his guilty conscience.

The two are in a cooperative relationship, and he even took the initiative to propose the cooperation. Now that the cooperation has just begun, he's already questioning the other party's abilities. That doesn't sound good to others.

If you didn't trust them, why did you actively seek cooperation in the first place?

Zhang Wen, however, didn't take it seriously. After thinking for a moment, he said, "President Chen, I think we shouldn't haggle over the price anymore. How about we take a gamble?"

"Gamble? How do you gamble?" Chen Mingyuan asked curiously.

Are we going to roll the dice?

Whoever rolls the highest number gets the vote.

Isn't that a bit too hasty?
“If the ratings for the TV series ‘Youth Glory’ are higher than those for Liu Haiyang’s show, we’ll settle at 30 per episode. If the ratings are lower than those for Liu Haiyang’s show, we’ll settle at 10. How about that?” Zhang Wen looked at Chen Mingyuan. The bet was the same as the one he had with Gu Tao at Beijing TV station before, which was based on ratings.

High viewership means high revenue, and low viewership means low revenue.

Chen Mingyuan was shocked. He hadn't expected the other party to take such a gamble, which was very advantageous for him.

If the viewership ratings of "Youth Glory" are higher than Liu Haiyang's drama, it would be worthwhile even if it were 30 or 40 per episode, let alone 50.

Compared to taking over the film and television production department, what is this little sacrifice?
Besides, it wasn't his personal money.

"Director Zhang, are you sure you want to proceed with this betting method?" Chen Mingyuan asked, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The script fee is determined by the ratings, which is unheard of in the entire television industry. They have pioneered a new way of selling scripts.

“President Chen, since I dare to take this gamble, I’m confident I can win. If I didn’t even have confidence in myself, why would I cooperate with you? Wouldn’t that be cheating you?” Zhang Wen said confidently.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mingyuan was deeply moved. The other party's words were like a reassuring pill, not only dispelling his doubts but also making him feel a little guilty for doubting the other party's strength.

“Okay, let’s bet as you said!” Chen Mingyuan didn’t hesitate this time, and the embarrassment on his face disappeared. He agreed immediately. “Director Zhang, I believe you. If ‘Youth Glory’ can really beat Liu Haiyang, once I take over the film and television production department, all your scripts will be priced at the level of top screenwriters, 50 per episode.”

Zhang Wen's lips twitched slightly as he thought: They're starting to make empty promises again.

I wasn't satisfied with just drawing one; do I want to draw another one?
Sure enough, leaders love to make empty promises; those who can't make empty promises can't become leaders.

“Come on, let’s go to my office,” Chen Mingyuan said. “I’ll have someone prepare the contract right now, and we’ll sign it today.”

Zhang Wen opened the car door and stepped out. This time, no one pulled him back.

The two took the elevator to the 22nd floor.

Chen Mingyuan instructed his secretary to prepare the contract, and then personally brewed a pot of tea for Zhang Wen to express his gratitude.

While they were chatting over tea, the secretary quickly brought back the contract.

There are two contracts in total, one about the investment and the other about the script.

Zhang Wen took the contract and quickly glanced through it. After confirming that the key terms, such as the form of cooperation, payment method, and the rights and responsibilities of both parties, were correct, he signed his name on the back of both contracts.

Chen Mingyuan watched with a smile, pleased that two major issues had been resolved at once.

"Director Zhang, it's almost noon, shall we go out for lunch together?" Chen Mingyuan offered.

"No need, I have to go see Director Han later, let's do it another day." Zhang Wen politely declined.

Chen Mingyuan wasn't angry when he heard this. After all, the other party was busy for his sake. If the other party stayed in the office all day doing nothing, he would feel uneasy.

Being busy actually shows that the other person is a conscientious and responsible person.

"Okay, go ahead and get busy. I'll definitely treat you well once this busy period is over," Chen Mingyuan said, making empty promises again.

Zhang Wen choked a little while eating the pancake, so he quickly left Chen Mingyuan's office.

He took the elevator back to the training department, and as soon as he pushed open the door, he sensed something was wrong. The office area was so quiet.

However, when he walked in, he instantly understood.

It turned out that Vice President Liu Haiyang had arrived.

The other person was standing in the aisle, his gaze sweeping across the office area, seemingly inspecting the work.

"?"

Zhang Wen's eyes were filled with doubt.

After the Spring Festival, the company adjusted the work of several general managers. Among them, the training department has been handed over to Chen Mingyuan.

Therefore, Liu Haiyang should not be here.

Could it be that he's gotten so used to managing the training department that he hasn't gotten used to not managing it yet?
On the other hand, when the other party was in charge of the training department, they rarely came here to inspect the work.

Zhang Wen walked along the aisle and stopped when he passed Liu Haiyang, greeting him proactively, "Hello, Mr. Liu."

"Deputy Director Zhang is back." A slight smile appeared on Liu Haiyang's expressionless face. "What have you been busy with lately?"

"The TV series 'Perfect Days' has passed censorship and just received its license. I went to Beijing TV station to discuss broadcasting it," Zhang Wen said casually.

Upon hearing this, Liu Haiyang was startled and couldn't help but ask, "How did it go? Did you manage to reach an agreement?"

"Yes, it will air on Beijing TV's prime time slot this November," Zhang Wen said.

Liu Haiyang's eyes widened instantly, his heart filled with surprise.

Beijing TV's prime time slot?
This isn't something you can just do casually.

Let alone him, even if General Manager Li Lehua personally intervened, there was no guarantee that they could secure a prime-time broadcast slot.

This young man is indeed extraordinary.

"Deputy Director Zhang, come on, let's go to your office for a bit," Liu Haiyang said.

Zhang Wen was slightly taken aback. Was there something that couldn't be said here, and why did they have to go to his office?

Thinking about how the other party suddenly came to the training department today, could it be that they came specifically to see him?
"Mr. Liu, please." Zhang Wen said, pointing towards the office.

Enter the office.

Liu Haiyang looked around the room, then sat down and asked Zhang Wen, "You've been the deputy director for a while now, has Chen Mingyuan made things difficult for you?"

"No." Zhang Wen poured a cup of tea for the other person and handed it to him, sensing that there was something more to the other person's words.

However, since the other party wouldn't say, he was too lazy to ask, after all, the two of them were now competitors.

Liu Haiyang took the cup, blew on it, took a small sip, and asked casually, "I saw Chen Mingyuan calling you in the underground parking garage earlier. Did he threaten you? You can talk to me if there's anything. Although I'm not in charge of the training department now, I still have influence."

Zhang Wen returned to his desk and sat down, finally understanding the purpose of the other party's visit today: they wanted to know what Chen Mingyuan wanted to talk to him about.

He originally didn't want to expose his relationship with Chen Mingyuan, but after signing the investment and script contracts today, it wouldn't be long before the news reached Li Lehua. If Li Lehua knew, it would be the same as Liu Haiyang knowing, so there was no need to hide it anymore.

"President Chen didn't threaten me. He just took a liking to the script I wrote and asked me to sign the contract just now," Zhang Wenfeng said casually, as if he were talking about something trivial.

"what?"

Liu Haiyang shuddered, spilling tea from his cup onto his hands. He quickly put the cup down, wiped his hands hastily, and then stared intently at Zhang Wen, asking, "You wrote the script? Chen Mingyuan signed a contract with you? When did this happen?"

All he knew was that the other party had been going to Director Han Xiaohua's place recently, and he assumed it was for the promotion of the TV series "Perfect Days". He hadn't heard a thing about Chen Mingyuan signing a contract with the other party.

They kept the news hidden so well!

Zhang Wen pretended to think for a moment before saying, "When I came back from the Spring Festival, Chen Mingyuan said that my novel 'Perfect Days' was pretty good and asked if I had any other scripts. I happened to have written one before, so I showed it to him. After reading a few pages, he decided to buy the rights and turn the script into a TV series."

As Zhang Wen recounted the story, Liu Haiyang's expression grew increasingly grim. No wonder Chen Mingyuan hadn't been seen begging screenwriters to buy scripts; it turned out the deal had already been finalized.

"Deputy Director Zhang, why didn't you tell me you had a script?" Liu Haiyang asked, frowning, his voice tinged with dissatisfaction.

"Mr. Li, you didn't ask me anything." Zhang Wen looked completely bewildered.

"..." Liu Haiyang almost suffocated because he couldn't catch his breath.

Zhang Wen, however, seemed not to have noticed and continued, "I heard before the Spring Festival that you, Mr. Liu, offered a reward of ten million for outstanding scripts, and I wanted to give it a try. But before I could even send the script to your email, you contacted me and said you had already chosen a script and wanted to invite director Han Xiaohua..."

The implication is: It's not that I don't want to cooperate with you, it's that you simply don't care about me at all.

Liu Haiyang's feelings were very complicated at this moment. When he was soliciting excellent scripts, there was a moment when he did think of this young man.

However, "Perfect Days" has not been broadcast yet, and he doesn't know how the market will react. He doesn't want to take the risk, so he ruled out the other party.

Unexpectedly, his decision to exclude Chen Mingyuan directly benefited his rival. It's truly a cruel twist of fate!
"Deputy Director Zhang, what's the name of your new script? What genre is it? Who's the director? Have the lead actors been confirmed?" Liu Haiyang asked a series of questions, all related to the TV series.

After all, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle.

"The new drama is called 'Youth Glory,' an urban drama, directed by Han Xiaohua, and starring Bai Lu again," Zhang Wen said truthfully.

"???"

Liu Haiyang was so shocked that his hands were trembling.

Bai Lu is nothing special; she's just an actress who hasn't quite figured out her career transition, so she can't cause any trouble. But Han Xiaohua is different. He's one of the top directors of urban dramas, with his own fan base and a much stronger reputation than the directors he's hired.

"Why would Han Xiaohua agree to that?" Liu Haiyang asked, puzzled.

Han Xiaohua rejected his invitation but accepted Chen Mingyuan's. Wasn't this humiliating him?
"Oh, Director Han saw that I wrote the script and immediately agreed to it," Zhang Wen said.

Upon hearing this, Liu Haiyang nearly vomited blood in anger. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked in a trembling voice, "That's not right. I asked you to invite Director Han, and didn't you say he wouldn't agree?"

“Yes, Director Han doesn’t like your script, but he likes mine.” Zhang Wen blinked, looking completely innocent.

Liu Haiyang clenched his teeth so tightly they almost broke.

In other words, because he didn't consider Zhang Wen when choosing a script, he missed out on Zhang Wen's script and also missed out on collaborating with director Han Xiaohua.
At that moment, he closed his eyes in anguish, feeling even worse than if he had missed out on five million.

……

(End of this chapter)